1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat radiation mechanism that efficiently radiates radiating heat generated by an electrical storage device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical storage devices such as secondary batteries and electrical double layer capacitors are used as batteries for hybrid vehicles and electrical vehicles. There are hybrid vehicles in which an electrical storage device is disposed under a seat in the passenger compartment as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-354039 (JP-A-2001-354039, FIGS. 5, 9 etc.) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-182377 (JP-A-2003-182377).
More specifically, a battery pack 200 containing a battery module (not shown) is disposed in the space under a seat 100 on the floor 300 of the passenger compartment as shown in FIG. 10. The bottom face 100a of the seat 100 (facing the battery pack 200) is recessed.
In the vehicles described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-354039 (JP-A-2001-354039, FIGS. 5, 9 etc.) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-182377 (JP-A-2003-182377), a battery case is disposed under the seat and a blower fan is driven to direct the air from the passenger compartment to the battery case.
However, the configuration shown in FIG. 10 has the following problems.
The battery module in the battery pack 200 may generate heat during charge and discharge. The heat generated in the battery module is transferred upward from the battery pack 200.
As a result, because the bottom face 100a of the seat 100 is recessed, the heat from the battery pack 200 accumulates at the bottom face 100a. When the heat from the battery pack 200 accumulates as described above, the thermal radiation efficiency of the battery pack 200 (battery module) decreases.
In the configuration described in JP-A-2001-354039 and JP-A-2003-182377, the fan is forcibly driven to supply air to the battery case. That is, the heat from the battery case cannot be radiated through natural convection of air in the passenger compartment.